Lamping with lurchers

There is something special about lamping with a lurcher. On dark nights the click of the lamp echoes, the pencil-thin beam of the lamp reflects the eyes of the rabbit, and your senses go into overdrive. You sense the dog, the beam, the twist and turns of the course and the catch and retrieve. The contorted athleticism of hunter and hunted get tested to the limit where the rabbit has one advantage - its low centre of gravity.
Legal pest control
Since the passing of the 2004 Hunting Act, legitimate lurcher work has run the gauntlet of ignorance surrounding its many legal practices, especially after dark. If permission to take rabbits has been granted, it is simply another legal form of pest control.
I thought long and hard about when and where I would take Tawny. The land can be on the fast side when the going is good under foot. After walking the haylage fields to spy out any hidden ploughs or electric fencing, I had to instil into Tawny the understanding that every time that lamp went on and stayed on, there would be a rabbit at the end of the beam and, if slipped, it was hers to catch. Easier said than done, but I did my utmost to swing the odds in her favour by knowing the land, the rabbits and my dog’s limitations. To Tawny, this was another walk in the dark to practise her recall and retrieving, but for me, it would be the most nervous walk we had taken together so far. Potentially so much could go wrong. The darkness offers a smokescreen for potential disobedience that could be easily corrected in daylight. You have to trust your dog as much as your dog has to trust you.
Eyes on the prize
We walked the hedgeline, silhouettes hidden, wind blowing our scent away. The click of the lamp alerted the dog that something was up. I scanned the horizon for a pair of eyes in the barley field beyond; our prize was sitting 40 yards away.
We walked up with the rabbit illuminated. Tawny leaned into her lead after spotting what was in the beam.
When I slipped her - so that I was no longer in direct control - she accelerated instantly into fifth gear and, in true textbook fashion after a short course and a few twists and turns, Tawny caught her first lamped rabbit. Holding it in her mouth she brought it back to me. My smile was from ear to ear but, after spending time making a fuss of her, I was about to be reminded that the path to training a lurcher is far from smooth.

[@nathanevans6331]

Im from sussex, had a beautiful brindle lurcher when I was younger...I would take him up the south downs or around the local farms...he was amazing I'd always come home with 2/3 rabbits..never taught him anything..it hunted completely out of instict...amazing dog ....mum would make rabbit and veg pie...brilliant youth..

[@gdr38515]

Really interesting video. Born in Suffolk but lived mostly in North Norfolk I often wondered what lamping was like to participate in. Impressed with the handling of the rabbits by the dogs. I've eaten wild rabbit and game but always been to nervous to buy from a supermarket in case it was farmed. When I lived in Norfolk had a cottage with a slate roof where on a Sunday it would not be uncommon to hear shot pellets land on the roof from the shooting on adjacent farmland. The pheasant that were everywhere were so dumb that they would walk in front of your car at 2 mph without a care in the world.

[@jay71512]

nice video. i miss all this. remember going out with a guy from whitehaven back in late 80s and saw his dog catch 72 on its own in 2 and half hours and i looked more tired than dog at end of it all. the guy said the dog had caught over a hundred on a few occasions and i laughed thats why he took me out got to say i never doubted what he said after that!

[@joedog281]

it,s true

[@ScoopDogg]

It does sound crazy but a couple of good dogs can easily achieve that more so if lamping than coursing, its almost like cheating when they run straight up the beam and wham. Daytime coursing is more sporting like but not knocking one over the other. Field sports for life.

[@rogerparker9228]

So you're saying 1 dog caught a rabbit every 2 minutes back to back?? Dis u ever see jackanory? 😆

[@Jay-iq6yh]

@@ScoopDogg Absolute Bollocks that.. I have had lurchers most of my life and the best night I ever had was 68 with 2 dogs and with one dog the best I have ever had was 49 ... That was over about 5/6 hrs, Can you imagine trying to carry that amount of rabbits !

[@16stork90]

really enjoyed this,gave up the lamping/coursing 12yrs ago after my last dog "bracken" died an hour after getting home,,liver complication,,,vet said there was nothing I could have done,,bracken was only 2yrs old.,Tore down my kennels after it, as the wee man broke my heart..now have a mental boxer pup as a pet!!

[@danielhallett1030]

16stork90 hahahahahahahahahah

[@jonopaul1ify]

I hope it suffered like all the animals it killed.

[@calumteeling1310]

Paul Johnston shut the fuck up if love animals sm u prick

[@CountvonCount33]

@@jonopaul1ify I've seen some thick c@nts commenting on these type of videos, but you pal are right at the top of the stupidity tree! Defeated your argument with your own comment! 🤣

[@andymagic2924]

@@jonopaul1ify If you care about animals so much you shouldn't wish suffering on any animal, f**king prick

[@davt8615]

Cracking lads, as a keeper don't bray the numbers in as we need a healthy stock

[@pandani7495]

Feast dog and happy new year to you guys 🎉

[@hamiltongomesdasilva9561]

Friends, I love lurchers! Greyhound mixed with other breeds. I like the aesthetics inherited from greyhounds. LONGYLIUM, CURVILIENT, MUSCULOUS body, short hair, with varied and beautiful colors. But the greyhounds' temperament does not have what I want and I look for it. I want a dog with a territorialist sense, at least, react to the arrival of strangers in my home. Does the greyhound mix German Shepherd dog produce a good watchdog? What do you say ? Or do you know of another mix that produces an animal with the appearance of greyhound but with guard dog temperament? Thank you very much.

[@andymagic2924]

I know this is a very old comment, but just incase your still interested, in my experience saluki are very terratorial

[@niteblaster1]

@@andymagic2924 I was going to comment with the same thing lol

[@nessabird425]

I have a pit x greyhound who is incredibly territorial in the house. Wouldn't let a stranger through the door unless you shook their hand and let them in lol

[@billyoreilly8581]

Q

[@daver9594]

Holy SH*T !! FLIR in the UK! In all honesty - your K9's are simply superb [and turbo/super charged], not to mention - very well trained & a joy to view in - action !!

[@ferretWhitehead]

Glad you enjoyed the film

[@flopshotking]

Fantastic sport I done it for about 10 years above and below ground and enjoyed it, good job lads keep it up

[@reynoldsoutdoors3055]

Really good lamping footage. Well done.

[@itscamodragon9407]

Them dogs be like keemstar, "fast as fuck, boiii!!"

[@FamasFTW98]

could you explain how you made the flip up / flip down filter for the lamp it look really good and alot better than trying to pull off a filter and make a load of noise

[@kyletill4405]

Alright bro iv got to bull cross whippets I'm just wanting to know how to start them off there puppy's I just need some information of some experience people thanks

[@muybueno6576]

Looks like good fun . I love rabbit meat aswel , very tender when cooked right

[@joshmatthews329]

Love it cracking dogs💯 down southwest its gone very shy but picking up slowly fingers crossed 🤞🤞🤞

[@Hunter-ur4ny]

Smashing footage great dog to well trained what lamp is that ?

[@niteblaster1]

they are not trained at all 🤣

[@whosentyouhere2552]

How do you get your dog into this is it something you need to do from a puppy because I have a rescue lurcher

[@Madmicksoutdooractivities]

would love toget myself a running dog for this action but not got the room. to be honest i take my patterdale and patterdale cross with a plummeter out round the ground and its fantastic to watch them chasen n catching rabbits. i dont have them on the lash just running about infront of me with me headlamp on then bang a rabbit pops up and they both off like a crack of the whip. class then my kids are behind them lol cracking video of bagging up on the bunnys. i like the idea of the thermal camera to. that will save alot of battery life on the lamp.

[@tiernanwearen8096]

Are there loads of rabbits in England? Here in Ireland there practically extinct in some areas

[@douglaspollard4585]

The Shooting Times videos are wonderful thank you,Brits! Are Scottish deer-hounds or Whiphounds used as Lurchers on your island? Would they get on well with your ferrets do you think ? .I love the temperament of those breeds of hounds.

[@RememberBannockburn1314]

Deerhounds too easily injured and quite cumbersome for this

[@ScoopDogg]

Lost my dog saluki x greyhound last year to a seizure, dont know if to get another with law allowing police to now take our landys,dogs,money and time now for hare coursing, starting to see alot of working dogs now unwanted. The barb wire fence was the first kick in the arse but now law are really clamping down especially up Yorkshire. Is nothing sacred! my new hobby is making ferret finders : ( i finally found out the IC they used.

[@leesmith4976]

makes me proud to be from Suffolk!

[@margaretmaher7498]

Two right good dogs

[@kernowforester811]

I have a 2 year old whippet collie cross, she took down a roe deer in a few seconds on a woodland walk a few weeks ago. It wasn't planned or intended, but there are too many deer in our woodlands, which is damaging the ecology of our native woodlands. I don't agree with hunting foxes I'm sorry to say, but I can see it more humane to take a deer down with a lurcher than by gun, and I'm a forester by profession and have worked all over the UK as a forest manager, so have formed my opinion over years. Unfortunately it has been illegal to hunt deer by dogs for almost 15 years now.

[@trisha1427]

Cruel bastard

[@kernowforester811]

@@trisha1427 LOL, a townie carnivore aka 'cruel bastard' perhaps?? Eat animal meat perhaps? If not join the club. Ever seen a calf or sheep hung up and have its throat cut in the process of slaughter?? If not join the club. Ever seen a deer shot with a .246 or .276 rifle, not always a instant death? Ever thought deer populations in countries like the UK need to be culled to protect woodlands and the health of the deer herd, and if so how?? Ever looked at the damage deer do to native woodlands and damage to habitat for ground nesting bird species and dormice? Care to look for 'cruel bastards' elsewhere? PS still have my rescue lurcher, have you rescued any dogs recently? If so join the club.

[@trisha1427]

@@kernowforester811 You are a blot on the landscape,who do you think you are GOD,doing everybody a favour,truth is, you are a blood thirsty MORON,using dogs that are lethal killers,when no longer any use, dump or worse destroy,these dogs are being picked up by rescues,passed onto new owners who are unaware of the nature of these dogs,who wants a dog,that will kill any small pet,not long before,a running child,breeding into them viscious breeds,there not even a breed,because of you and your type meddling with nature, a tragedy waiting to happen, your playing God,just so you can brag to your mates of the lethal killer you and your likes have created,grow up,and be a decent man,instead of a cruel,MORON with no concience.

[@tiernanwearen8096]

@@kernowforester811 don't listen to this clobhead he clearly has no clue about anything in the countryside

[@peterwebb8732]

Everything dies, and the majority of deaths in nature are more cruel than the way that these rabbits - or any farm animal slaughtered under modern conditions - die. I must take issue with arguments based on what happens to the animal after it is dead. Cruelty is not a factor, when the animal is already dead, only in how it dies. The irony in the fox-hunting ban is that the natural predator of the Red Fox is the Grey Wolf, which has been extinct in Britain for centuries. The closest analogue is our domesticated wolf-descendants.... aka, Dogs. There is a good body of evidence that animals killed by canine predators considerably larger than themselves, die quickly and in a manner that involves relatively little suffering, the most common mechanisms of death being a dislocation of the neck vertebrae, or a crushing of the thorax stopping the heart. Oh..... and vegans should take note that without wildlife control, they would not have the cheap, reliable food that they take for granted. They pay farmers like me to do their killing for them.

[@joedog281]

never had to use thermal camera,run lurchers for years

Great video, keep them coming

[@vaanavil7096]

Light details pleace web side la erugumaa

[@james1c763]

Really interesting video.

[@EazyFieldsports]

Wish Yous did more lamping videos ! Great video

[@mathavanmpkpolice9342]

Dog name please

[@owlan99]

What breeds are involved in this?

[@wanneske1969]

what lurchers are they ? border collie x whippet or greyhound ?

[@niteblaster1]

collie cross greyhound x saluki cross greyhound you're better off with a straight saluki x greyhound or a salukixgreyhound x whippetxgreyhound

[@nickostewart5529]

cracking dogs and great footage

[@jamesjones9927]

they 3 year old and they never even learned them the lamp good lamping men they are

[@isholajohnsonayodeji3813]

I like this dog, I need one for hunting

[@isholajohnsonayodeji3813]

Tall type

[@motomeadyhuntingndmotocros6147]

Absolutely brilliant video

[@tattoojim182]

Psychotic past time

[@colinwoodhall7991]

They are eating your food mate vegan ,or vegetarian?

[@tattoojim182]

@@colinwoodhall7991 we all know that’s not the reason why people go lamping. Sickos get a hard on from it, end of

[@khabibtheeaglenurmagomedov6233]

What lamp are you using

[@jimduffy1967]

He's using the wankers lamp ,hey let's kill everything smaller than us.

[@khabibtheeaglenurmagomedov6233]

jimbob1 cheers that's a well appreciated answer

[@khabibtheeaglenurmagomedov6233]

jimbob1 cheers that's a well appreciated answer

[@khabibtheeaglenurmagomedov6233]

jimbob1 cheers that's a well appreciated answer

[@trisha1427]

@@khabibtheeaglenurmagomedov6233 shutup,cruel sadist,not even a true breed, a killing machine created by man,perversion of nature, a child next, unpredictable,silent killer,lethal, like that do you until it's a child of yours,BLOODTHIRSTY MORON,GROW UP GET A JOB.

[@doyle201206]

Quick is humane and there is no escaping once in the jaws. No different to being caught by a fox.

[@bigverybadtom]

We had a cat named Figaro, who when he was a kitten, caught rabbits. He didn't need any lamps!

[@lauracocchiarella8741]

My lamp is like yours

[@mickyviews4025]

Me and my dad go lamping with a whippet for foxes and rabbits

[@joey_byrneee272]

So do I!

[@trisha1427]

Then you both need to bloody stop illegal since 2004 get caught prison for you both cruel callous bastards

[@tiernanwearen8096]

@@trisha1427 rabbits are pests nó restrictions on lamping them and if you don't like it don't watch it

[@tiernanwearen8096]

Are you in the UK? Are there loads of rabbits in the UK? Here in Ireland there practically extinct in some areas of the

[@esp441]

Nice dogs, what are they greyhound and collie?

[@lauracocchiarella8741]

ES P I have a collie grey hound she is a speedy bitch

[@niteblaster1]

it was entertaining, but your dogs are not trained to the beam at all 😱

[@ganganayak652]

Super and super super

[@Hampshire87]

Great video new to coursing just posted up my first coursing clip

[@kevinthomas375]

Grate job lad's and i fink it's a lovely way to catch the rabbits and i love doing it to lad's

[@muhammadsaleem4118]

Very nice i like it for this hunt good job

[@southdragonfilms8219]

I have a wipped

[@mervue16]

Would this dog take foxes?

[@ianhugheswhite76]

Yep depends on the x

[@andrewbainbridge371]

@@ianhugheswhite76 bull shit all depends on the heart off the dog

[@adambentley1008]

Adam 😎😎😎😎

[@liamratcliffe134]

hope you have a good season with the lamp lads

[@lurcherfieldsports7425]

Nice lookin dogs them

[@ferretWhitehead]

Thanks

[@tiernanwearen8096]

@@ferretWhitehead are there loads of rabbits in England? Here in Ireland there practically extinct in some areas

[@charlypassmore4334]

Dogs run well but seem a bit green to the lamp I like a dog I can send down the beam

[@garyfreeman3308]

Look like the rabbits have myxomatosis I wouldn't eat them this can be spread to human's if you eat enough

[@trisha1427]

True horrendous death, God and nature always bites back, good hunting,morons mixy easy to contract.

[@JubbaheyChannel]

@@trisha1427 OK, I dont agree with a utube video of these hunts but surely a quick death from a hunting dog is more preferable to dying of myxo. Those rabbits looked slow in comparison with healthy ones, but a lurcher would catch quite a few of those as well.

[@jackstrachan6165]

I loved coursing what a pitty those who don’t like it banned it

[@cherrylgibson6714]

Lamping is illegal, you cruel, self-serving yob!! I hope Karma visits you soon, if she hasn't done so already!!

[@cathalcleere7620]

Fuck up you delinquent its a sport

[@moz0207]

Sick weirdos who don’t fuck. I’d love to Chase the lampers and kick shit out of them. Yes, I’d love it. Scum

[@CountvonCount33]

@@moz0207 Go ahead and try it!

[@moz0207]

@@CountvonCount33 The 13th Duke of Wybourne. That title alone emphasises what excrement you are. Tw@t. Now you go and enjoy your Sunday. Ponce.

[@CountvonCount33]

@@moz0207 Lol! You're full of shit you keyboard warrior.

[@ct8292]

Barbaric.

[@gdr38515]

Better wild than farmed.

[@tiernanwearen8096]

Don't like it don't watch it

[@gachamircea7411]

Bun

[@sherbert500]

got to be honest with this comment, the one dog there has no nose or eyes for the lamp at all, totally clueless on seated rabbits, imagine what you could have caught with a dog that nails them out the seat like a good lamping dog should!

[@ferretWhitehead]

Only one rabbit lost due to tumble. Those seated rabbits were of our own making using the thermal to spot and not wave a lamp around. Would be nice to film rabbits being taken out of their seats but to be honest, it didn't make for any less of a enjoyable nights filming.

[@trisha1427]

Yes and your totally clueless,bloodthirsty idiot,a child next,proud are you, you have issues and the same for the rest of the MORONS on this site, PATHETIC,CRUEL,HALF GROWN MEN,Mess with nature and it bites back,NOW WHAT SHALL WE BREED THEM WITH NOW??? IDIOT

[@BUSHCRAPPING]

id kill for some sitters like that

[@neilgilbert7672]

more of this please

[@ionutyt2298]

U

[@ionutyt2298]

Cf

[@michaelgavin381]

Tell ya what theres 2 serious dogs👌

[@sasip5663]

supper

[@harryhillbarton]

They should be shamed of themselves

[@ll-ev7rp]

Shut up you sensetive little pussy

[@trisha1427]

@@ll-ev7rp YOU SHUTUP YOU CALLOUS MORON ,GET CAUGHT PRISON FOR YOU MY LAD

[@tiernanwearen8096]

If you don't like it don't watch it

[@harryhillbarton]

@@tiernanwearen8096 did I say I watched it all 😆 Bye now

[@harryhillbarton]

@@ll-ev7rp and your ?

[@lewisstevenson5498]

duse anyone no what that night vision called .

[@cowinbaby902]

Infared

[@lauracocchiarella8741]

Lewis Stevenson the dog needs to see the eyes

[@8ballgod156]

lovely bit of coursing

[@philchapman9484]

Proper o country boys like it

[@trisha1427]

HO,HO,HO IZA PROPER OLD COUNTRY BOY I'Z IZ IS,GROW UP AND BE A MAN,ADMIT IT ,YOU LIKE THE BLOOD LUST,AND LIKE TO SEE A TERRIFIED ANIMAL DIE ,COWARDLY SADIST.

[@tiernanwearen8096]

@@trisha1427 what are you saying? underneath your gibberish you sound like a anti if you don't like it don't watch it

[@andymagic2924]

Nothing worse than a lurcher not taking squatters 😬

[@niteblaster1]

they don't look trained to the beam at all when I first start training them, I will only run squatters, that's the hardest part done, I couldn't have a dog on a lead lol

[@andymagic2924]

@@niteblaster1 Yeah I'm the same, I always start on squatters, I learned from experience because I didn't do that with my first lurcher and seriously regretted it, she was nowhere near as good as the one I have today

[@briannablack7492]

HORRIBLE

[@tiernanwearen8096]

Don't like it don't watch it this is more humane than that nasty diease like mxymotisis used by the so called humane people

[@CountvonCount33]

Tree hugging snowflake

[@jimduffy1967]

Yes I'm such an old school hunter I'll stalk prey and then shoot them with a bow and arrow,oh no! !! I'll blind them with 30 squillon candle power and call myself a lamper,is wanker.

[@CountvonCount33]

Bow and arrow is illegal you daft twat!

Great video, keep them coming

[@tiernanwearen8096]

Ever go lamping with dogs?

@@tiernanwearen8096 Iv been a few times, although wouldn’t have the time to have a lurcher